Paint roller applicator



1955 c H. BARNES ETAL PAINT ROLLER APPLICATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 22, 1948 rw w N 6 o awn s m n E 6 o S Y T C P I on E v. N; D. 0 me 0 u m m LU E O ffvvv M N. 9 Tm H w w u W 0 m M a a 4 2. -H T o N c A i N A V W E \whn E a 5 F g lv 5A M .mww w N m V :5 m 43 m M Y H w w L T p o o H m M 2W w m c 5 m 1 m. h 3 w P r d M Y B F550 L ALvE OPEN.

SUPPLYVALVE Nov. 1, 1955 c. H. BARNES ET AL 2,722,029

PAINT ROLLER APPLICATOR Filed March 22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sh eet 5 INVENTOR. CHARLLS H. 5A fi/YES.

FkA/wr G-fio SSE ATTORN EYS.

Nov. 1, 1955 c. H. BARNES ETAL PAINT ROLLER APPLICATOR 4 SheetsSheet 4 Filed March 22, 1948 INVENTOR. CHARLES H. BAR/YES.

ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent PAINT ROLLER APPLICATOR Charles H. Barnes, Glendale, and Frank Grosse, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application March 22, 1948, Serial No. 16,274

2 Claims. c1. 15-128) Our invention relates to painting apparatus and more particularly to apparatus by which paint may be spread upon walls, floors or other surfaces by roller means or treated as in stippling by said roller means.

The general purpose of our invention is to provide an apparatus which is adaptable to covering surfaces with paint by roller means, the said roller ordinarily being supplied with said paint from a reservoir either fixed or selfcontained in the painting unit.

It is a further purpose of our invention to provide roller means, adaptable not only to such paint application wherein paint is supplied from a reservoir, but to methods wherein the roller is dipped into the paint supply and the paint thereby transferred to the surfaceto be coated.

An object of our invention is further to provide said roller adaptable for stippling and in such stippling to avoid tracking which has heretofore proved a disadvantage in this type tool.

And a still further object of our invention is to provide a special roller means adapted for stippling or for connection through conduits with a remotely positioned paint supply.

Furtherobjects of the invention will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings: a

Figure 1 shows a side elevational view of a paint applicator incorporating our invention; a

Figure 2 shows a partial longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1; a

Figure. 3 shows a cross-sectional view taken through the roller means of said paint applicator on the line 33 of Figure 2; e 1

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view through one end of the roller means taken on the line-4-4 of Figure 3;

'Figure 5 is a partially broken away sectional view through a portion of said paint applicator taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1; w.

Figure 6'is a detail view, in elevation, showing a portion of the top of said paint applicator;

Figure "7 is a view similar to Figure 6 showing a part of the valve mechanism partially removed from'said paint applicator;

Figure 8 is a sectionalview of the upper portion-of our paint applicator taken on the line 88 of FigureZ;

Figure 9 is a diagrammatical view showing certain operative positions assumed by an intake tube of our paint applicator;

Figure 10 is aview, partly in elevation and partly in section, showinga modified form of our invention;

Figure 11 is a detail view through said modified form of invention, taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is an elevational view of the roller shell incorporated in our invention, a portion being broken away;

Figure 13 is a'perspective view of a portion of the roller supporting means of the modified form ofthe invention;

Figure 14 is an elevational view of a roller sealing member embodied in our invention;

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 15-15 of Figure 10;

Figure 16 is a view, partly in elevation and partly in section, of a further modification of our invention;

Figure 17 is an axial sectional view through the roller of another modification of our invention;

Figure 18 is a plan view of the roller of such modification;

Figure 19 is a perspective view of a part embodied in said modification;

Figure 20 is a view showing how the modification is used; and

Figure 21 is a perspective view of a valve spring used in connection with our paint applicator.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 through 9, inclusive, there is provided a reservoir 30 of tubular form of any desired capacity, which is smoothly bored on the inside. One end of the said reservoir 30 is closed by an end cap 32 which may be attached to the reservoir 36 by a threaded joint as shown, by a bayonet type lock, or by other mechanical locking means. The opposite extremity of the reservoir 30 is closed by a head 34 which is attached to the said reservoir by a fluid-tight joint which may consist of the conventional threaded type, but which is shown as a tapered press-fit strengthened by the rivets 36.

Within the reservoir 30 is provided a floating piston 38, one end of which is closed except for a perforation to receive the screw 48 and which has a skirt 42 adapted to stabilize the said piston against tipping. The closed end of the piston 38 is detailed at 44 to provide clearance for the double lipped seal 46, which is preferably composed of molded synthetic rubber and which is secured in place between the piston 38 and the piston head 48 by means of the said screw 40, the piston head 48 being provided with an annulus 50 which enables the said piston head 48 to act as a stop to protect the seal 46.

A spring 52, preferably having tapered extremities, abuts at one of said extremities the piston 38 and with the other of said extremities the cap 32, thus urging said piston towards the head 34.

An internally threaded nut 54 threads on to the screw 40 and is swaged over the flexible cord 56, a rivet 58 being incorporated within the end of the said cord 56 to prevent said cord from slipping out of the nut 54 under tension. A hole 60 is provided in the cap 32 of suflicient diameter to pass the nut 54 but of insuflicient diameter to pass a plug 62 which is attached to the extremity of the cord 56 opposite from said nut 54. Said plug 62 is adapted to removably seal the extremity of a filler tube 64 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

As heretofore stated, at the end of the reservoir 30 opposite the cap 32, is provided in fluid-tight relation to said reservoir a head 34. Said head 34 is bored to receive a bushing or valve sleeve 66 which is keyed within said head 34 by a set screw or in other common manner not shown. Communication into the interior of the reservoir 30 is provided by a bore 68 in the head 34 and a matching bore 70 in the bushing 66.

Adapted to seat within the head 34 and bushing 66 is a valve body. 72, said valve body being provided with a fluid passage 74 and a port 76. For covenience said fluid passage 74 and port 76 are shown in Figure 2 as being displaced but the true relation of said passage and port is shown in Figure 8 and is, in fact, about 60 displaced for purposes which will become hereinafter apparent. The periphery of said valve body 72 is groovedto provide recesses for the sealing ring 77 Into the valve body 72 is press fitted a valve stem 78, which may communicate through the port 76 with the interior of the reservoir 30 upon turning of the said valve body 72 to register the port 76 with the bores 68 and 70. Press fitted into the said valve stem 78 is the tube 64 which is further secured to the feed valve stem by a rivet 80 and which may communicate with the reservoir 30 through the port 76.

Associated with the head 34 is a valve spring 82, one extremity 84 of which is removably inserted in a hole 86 of said head 34, and a perspective view of which is shown in Figure 21. The spring 82 is curved so that one portion 88 thereof serves as a retaining element to prevent the valve assembly from withdrawing from the head 34. In addition, the portion 99 of said spring exerts rotational pressure upon the tube 64 to hold the same in its proper position as will be hereinafter apparent. It will be noted that the projection 91 is provided extending from the head 34, which cooperates with the spring 82 to limit the movement of the tube 64 as Will likewise be hereinafter described.

A horn 92, over which the said spring 82 may be snapped, serves to retain said spring in place and the rib 94 forces the said spring 82 against the valve stem 78, the said spring being adapted to be forced over said horn 92 for removal or installation, and being also adapted to be pressed downwardly from its installed position to allow withdrawal of the valve assembly.

By means of a splined press fit a feed tube 96 is secured into the head 34 and leads to the roller 98, which is positioned forwardly of the head 34. Said feed tube, upon proper positioning of the valve body 72, permits the feeding of paint from the reservoir 30 to the said roller 98 through the passage 74, and rotatively supports said roller. The roller shell or body member 100 is tapered near its outer extremities and its extremities are tightly curled inwardly as at 102 for a purpose to be hereinafter described. A hub 104 is pressed into the roller shell 100 and is provided with fluid passageways 106 which register with holes 108 in the roller shell, and which communicate with the feed tube 96, the said hub 104 and the roller shell 100 being staked together.

Cast integral with the hub before pressing same into the roller shell is a sleeve bearing 110 which is secured to said hub by easing grooves 112. The bearing 110 receives the feed tube 96 and is held captive thereon, with the roller itself, by a nut 114, the shoulder 116 of which may engage the collar 118 of the said feed tube 96 and whose threaded end 120 engages the threads 122 of the bearing 110. Near the extremity of said feed tube 96 is provided a groove 124 which carries a sealing ring 126 bearing against the bearing 110.

The roller shell 180 is provided with a cover 128 having a flexible backing 130 of porous fabric to which is sewn or woven a dense resilient pile 132, the said cover being held in place on the cover shell 100 by a plug 134 composed of an elastic material, preferably of rubber, the said plug snapping into registry with the extremity of the cover shell 100. A similar plug 134 is provided at the end of the cover shell 108 opposite to that shown. The said plugs 134, when in place, hold the cover 128 immobile by squeezing it tightly against the roller shell 100 and provide the necessary fluid seals.

Adjacent the roller 98 and between said roller and the reservoir 30 is provided a shield 136 which comprises a curved sheet, preferably of metal, having formed grooves 138 adapted to receive an absorbent or blotter type paper 149. The shield 136 is attached to the head 34 in common manner as by a screw 142.

In the operation of my device, first, the plug 62 is removed from the end of the tube 64. The tube 64 is taken to position 1 as shown in Figure 9, which position turns the valve body 72 until the port 76 registers with the bores 68 and 70 in the head 34 and bushing 66. This permits communication between said tube 64 and the reservoir 30 so that when the tube 64 is dipped into a source of paint supply and the cylinder 38 retracted by the withdrawing of the cord 56, the reservoir 30 is filled with paint. When the reservoir 30 has been thus filled, the tube 64 is moved through positions 2 and 3 to position 4, the port 76 and passage 74 assuming the position shown in Figure 8. The plug 62 is inserted in the tube 64 and the device is ready to operate.

The roller 98 is then placed adjacent the surface to which paint is to be applied, the reservoir 30 gripped by the hand and the tube 64 pushed by the thumb against the spring portion to the Figure 9 position 5. This turns the valve body until the passage 74 provides communication between the reservoir 39 and the feed tube 96. It will be noted that the projection 91 of the head 34 prevents the moving of the tube 64 past the position 5 of Figure 9 whereby the spring 82 might be injured. The paint, being under pressure from the spring urged piston 38, passes through the feed tube 96 into the hub 104, through the fluid passageways 106 and out the holes or orifices 108 in the roller shell to spread over the exterior surface of said roller shell 100. As indicated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4, the flexible outer cover has a relatively loose fit in relation to the shell 100 except at the ends where the cover is firmly secured by the members 134. Under pressure of the paint the flexible cover balloons to provide a paint-filled annulus 144, the entire undersurface of the cover 130 being covered with said paint. The roller is applied to the surface to be painted and rolled back and forth, paint passing through the porous cover 130 and being applied to the said surface. The paint fills the annulus about the periphery of the said roller shell and provides a secondary reservoir wherefrom paint is squeezed through the cover 130 to provide easy application. The porosity of the cover is such that it will tend to balloon but the pressure created by the squeezing action will cause the paint to be forced through the cover. Inasmuch as the roller shell tapers towards the extremities, as has heretofore been described, the roller feathers away from the surface to be painted at said extremities and the common wa on tracks are avoided, a smooth, uniform application being provided.

When the paint has been exhausted from the reservoir 30 the device is removed from the aforesaid surface, the plug 62 again removed and the tube returned to the position 1 of Figure 9, and the above-described process repeated.

It will be noted that the portion 90 of the spring 82 is adapted to normally restrain the tube 64 in the position 4 of Figure 9, which is shown in full outline in Figure l and which provides the port 76 and the passage 74 in the position shown in Figure 8; i. e., both valves being closed. Further, when it is desired that the valve body 72 and valve assembly be removed from the head 34, the spring portion 88 may be depressed in order that said valve body may clear same.

The cover 128 may be readily removed for washing by manually withdrawing the plugs 134 and stripping said cover from the roller shell 100. Replacement of said cover is accomplished by slipping the cover into place on the said roller shell and inserting the said plugs at each end.

Referring to Figures l015, inclusive, a modification of the foregoing device there is shown, which device is adapted for stippling or for dipping into a paint supply and thereafter applying the same to the surface to be painted. A handle 146 is provided, from which extends a supporting member 148 comparable to the tube 96 but not bored. Iournaled on said support through the bearing 150 is a roller 152, which comprises a cover 154 the same as cover 128 on a roller shell 156, such as the roller shell 100. As with the foregoing device, the roller shell 156 is tapered at its extremities and tightly curled at its ends to receive plugs 158, which hold the said cover 154 in place. Aifixed to the roller shell 156, as by welding or in other common manner, are the discs 160, which are welded to the bearing 150. As with the foregoing device, the roller 152 is held captive on the support 148 by the provision of a nut 162, which threads on to said bearing 150 and which has a shoulder 164 to bear against the collar 166 on said support 148.

In operation the foregoing device is merely rolled back and forth over the surface to be stippled or dipped into a paint supply and then rolled upon the surface to be painted, the tapered extremities of said roller preventing wagon tracks, and the cover 154 being readily removable for washing as heretofore described.

It will be noted that the roller 152 as shown in this modification is somewhat longer than the roller 98 heretofore described, but it will be appreciated that said change involves no departure from the spirit of the invention as described.

Figure 11 shows a modification in the collar means 166 wherein said collar is provided with a rib 168 which registers with a groove 170 in the support 148.

Referring to Figure 16, there is shown a modification of our device wherein the feed tube 172 is the same as the feed tube 96, being provided, however, with a handle 174, a common valve 176 and a conduit 178 leading to a remote source of paint supply under pressure. The roller 180 is journaled to the said tube 172 in the same manner as is the roller 98 except that as shown, the hearing 182 passes through the hub 184 and supports a second hub 186 which is the same as the hub 104. This provision merely makes for a longer roller and it will be appreciated that the roller 180 may be used with the paint applicator first described.

Figures 17-20, inclusive, show a still further modification of our device wherein is provided a roller 188 of frusto-conical shape adapted for applying paint to corners such as the room corner shown in Figure 20. A roller body 190 of said frusto-conical shape is provided for a peripheral groove 192 and channels 194 leading from said groove to a chamber 196. The chamber 196 communicates with a bearing 198 press fitted into a bore 200 in said roller body 190, which may receive any of the tubes 96, 148 or 172, said roller 188 being held captive on any of said tubes by the provision of the aforedescribed nut not here shown. A cover 202 similar to the afore-described covers 128 and 154, is provided which, however, is shaped to nicely fit over the roller body 190. The cover 202 is adapted to balloon as described above to provide a secondary paint reservoir. Sockets 204 are provided in either extremity of the roller body 190 to receive the extremities of said cover and split retainer rings 206 are adapted to hold said cover in place. It is obvious that without departing from the spirit of our invention the plugs 134 could be easily adapted to the embodiment here shown.

The operation of this roller with the device shown in Figures 1 through 9 is the same as described except that the device is placed as shown in Figure 20, it being noted that the base of the cone feathers away from the wall not being painted.

The roller modification is used with the device shown in Figures through in the manner described, it being apparent that in this modification the channels 194 and groove 192 would perform no function, and it being equally apparent that without departing from the spirit of this invention, the roller body 190 could be imperiorate as concerns these elements. Again, the roller modification may be used in the Figure 16 adaptation.

It will be thus seen that in our invention we have provided a roller and cover means adapted to connection with a novel self-contained applicating unit or the common handle or a source of remote supply. Our roller and cover combination is adapted to paint application and to stippling, and is further adapted to the novel shape shown in Figures 17 through 20 for application and stippling about corners. While we have described the preferred embodiments of my invention, we are not limited to any of the details herein set forth except as described in the following claims.

We claim:

1. The roller combination comprising: a substantially cylindrical rigid roller shell tapered towards its extremities, said extremities being tightly curled inwardly; an external cover for said roller shell; a plug at each extremity of said roller shell, said plugs being formed of readily yieldable and resilient material and grooved to receive the inner surfaces of said curled extremities and being adapted to retain said cover; and means rotatably supporting said roller shell.

2. The combination comprising: a substantially cylindrical rigid roller shell tapering towards its extremities, said extremities being tightly curled inwardly, and said shell including peripheral orifices intermediate its tapered extremities; a conduit rotatably supporting said roller shell and being adapted to introduce fluid under pressure outwardly through said orifices; an external porous cover for said roller shell; and a plug formed of yielding resilient material carried by each extremity of said roller shell, said plugs being grooved to receive the inner surfaces of said curled extremities, said plugs being adapted to retain said cover and seal said cover with said roller shell.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,546,529 Wuelker July 21, 1925 1,614,044 Rohrich Ian. 11, 1927 1,817,683 Geiger Aug. 4, 1931 2,059,446 Eastman Nov. 3, 1936 2,085,371 Kitselman June 29, 1937 2,217,552 Horton Oct. 8, 1940 2,229,707 Testi Jan. 28, 1941 2,281,773 Kollmann May 5, 1942 2,298,682 Dahlstrom Oct. 31, 1942 2,325,867 Matsakas Aug. 3, 1943 2,357,763 Pratt Sept. 5, 1944 2,458,085 Ludwig Jan. 4, 1949 2,478,318 Raub, Jr. Aug. 9, 1949 2,509,954 Barnes et al. May 30, 1950 2,536,291 Kaitul Jan. 2, 1951 2,565,743 Schaeifer Aug. 28, 1951 2,573,201 Kelley et al. Oct. 30, 1951 2,605,488 Bugg Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 19,094 Great Britain Aug. 29, 1896 1,304 Great Britain Jan. 17, 1912 460,321 France Oct. 2, 1913 275,961 Germany May 4, 1926 

